


What Really Happened During Those 10 Minutes

by IndigoFudge



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Angst, Blood Loss, Death, Eddie Kaspbrak Dies, Emotional, Impaled, Love Confession, M/M, Not A Fix-It, Whump
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-04-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 09:35:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23849038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IndigoFudge/pseuds/IndigoFudge
Summary: For a few minutes, Richie stays by Eddie's side, and then he leaves to go crush Pennywise's heart. I refuse to believe that they had just been sitting there in silence, so here's what I'm declaring canon.
Relationships: Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	What Really Happened During Those 10 Minutes

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, this isn't a fix-it. Eddie still dies. I just wrote this because the movie doesn't show what's actually happening with Richie and Eddie while the rest of the Losers are insulting Pennywise, so, I mean, this totally could have happened.
> 
> (By the way, I WISH that Eddie lived in the movie. I'm very in denial about the ending and I am extremely mad at Stephen King for killing him.)

When Bill and Richie gently lower Eddie down into a sitting position against the wall of the cave, Eddie says an "Ah, thanks" that quickly triggers a coughing fit. Bill steps back and Ben crouches a few feet away, watching as Richie kneels down.

"Hey," Richie says, his voice small. 

"Hey, Richie." Eddie laughs weakly. "I gotta tell you somethin'."

"What? What's up, buddy?" asks Richie, wanting so badly to give Eddie a hug but feeling Ben's and Bill's eyes burning into him.

Eddie swallows, seeming to contemplate something for a couple seconds, before meeting Richie's gaze and murmuring "I fucked your mother."

 _I fucked your mother._ Richie can't bring himself to laugh. He gets a feeling why Eddie chose to crack that joke now of all times - Richie himself had said stupid things like that their whole childhood; it was a constant. Of course Eddie would use it to try to make him smile while something so horrible and uncertain is happening. Out of the corner of his eye, Richie can see Ben and Bill stand up and start to walk away. Bill pauses, as if about to say something to Richie, but then continues on without opening his mouth.

Eddie's smile dims a little. "Hey, 'm sorry. Wasn't trying to..." He trails off. "I just don't want you t' be scared."

Richie lets out a breath. "You don't need to apologize. This is my fault." Scrubbing at his face with his hands, he's only mildly surprised to feel his cheeks wet with tears. "I was a dumbass and got caught in the Deadlights, which made you feel like you had to save me-"

"Shut the fuck up, Richie," Eddie says. "It doesn't matter why you got caught in the Deadlights. I... I chose to save you because I wanted to."

Richie tightens his jaw, reaching out and holding Eddie's hand. He's overcome by a wave of emotions, and sorting through them he finds that the most prominent one is love. 

_I know your secret..._

"Eddie, I need to tell you something, too," Richie says, his voice scratchy.

_...your dirty little secret._

"Look, Eds, I... I know things aren't looking too spectacular right now-" He could just stop talking. He doesn't really need to say all this to Eddie, does he? 

_Should I tell them, Richie?_

Fuck, Eddie's breathing does not sound good. It strikes Richie that this could very well be the last chance he ever gets to tell him. So he forces himself to keep going.

"-but there's been something I've wanted to say to you for a long time." Richie swallows back his fear and looks Eddie in the face. "I love you - a lot."

Eddie smiles, tears glistening in his eyes. "Richie," he says breathlessly. "I love you too. You should have said something." Then he coughs, blood bubbling up from his throat and spilling from his lips.

"You do?" Richie's beaming. He wipes the blood from Eddie's chin with the back of his hand,

"I really do." Eddie leans forward, grimacing with the pain, and plants a kiss on Richie's cheek. He grins a grin that quickly melts away. "I just wish that... this could have happened sooner. When we would have actually had time." 

Richie sniffles. "No, Eds, there's still a- a chance that..." _...You might not die._ "We might still have time."

Eddie looks at him sadly. "Rich... Be realistic here. I know what's happening, and I've been scared of this shit my whole life." He squeezes Richie's hand. "All we can do now is spend this time together."

Richie blinks away tears. "That's so sappy," he says, but then leans against the wall of the cave and kisses Eddie on the lips.

From a little bit aways, Pennywise goes "Eater of worlds!" His voice sounds so much weaker than it did before. 

"Hey, Eds, I'm about to yell, okay?" Richie sits up a little, facing the other end of the cave where the Losers are. He feels anger building up inside him. 

"You're just a fucking clown!" yells someone - Mike.

Eddie blinks slowly. "Yeah, o-okay."

" _A dumb fucking clown!"_ screams Richie. _Pennywise, you stupid bitch, you took the love of my fucking life away from me. You ripped a hole right through him, and by extension, through me._

"Ow, Rich, that- that hurts," Eddie hisses, wincing. 

"Fuck, sorry." Richie looks down and notices how hard he's squeezing Eddie's hand. "Jesus. Eds... I'm sorry about all of this."

Eddie shakes his head. "No. Don't be. I'm glad that we got to tell each other at all, even if the circumstances are... less than ideal." He tries to smile again, but can't bring himself to. Everything hurts so goddamn much. He feels more tears well up; he's on the verge of crying. "At least I can die knowing that you love me too, and that we both said what needed to be said."

"Eddie-" Richie starts, but then his words break away into broken sobs. "Don't talk like that. Please, don't talk like that. You can get through this, I know it. You're so fucking strong, and- and _brave._ You were always the bravest one out of us all, and you still are."

"Thanks, Richie," Eddie breathes. The words make him feel warm and happy. He manages to lift Richie's hand and kiss it, but it takes so much strength. Most of Eddie's body is numb now, and he wonders how much of his blood is pooled on the ground beneath him instead of coursing through his veins.

"A motherfucking stupid mummy!" shouts Ben, the fire in his voice making Richie's heart harden.

He knows what he needs to do.

"Eds, I think I have to go help them," Richie says. His heart aches with the thought of leaving Eddie, but he needs to help his friends.

"Yeah." Eddie looks terrified, shaking with fear and exhaustion, which makes Richie feel another pang of guilt.

"I'm so fucking sorry." Richie glances over his shoulder at the Losers fighting It. "They need my help. I'll be right back, I promise."

Tears run down Eddie's cheeks, making tracks through the blood and dirt. "Rich, I- ah- I don't know if I can... if I can make it that long." In fact, he's _certain_ that he won't be able to make it that long, but there's no way that he's going to tell Richie that.

"You have to, Spaghetti," says Richie, somehow managing not to burst out crying again himself. "And when I get back, we'll take you out of here and you and I can go on a date, anywhere you want."

"...Anywhere?" Eddie raises his eyes to meet Richie's. He looks so tired.

Richie smiles, brushing Eddie's tears away. "Yeah, anywhere you want. Okay? Just hold on for me." He gives Eddie one long kiss on the lips, some part of him deep inside knowing that this will be the last one they will ever have. "Love you, Eds," he whispers, and then leaves. It's all he can do not to turn back, curl up next to Eddie, and stay there.

Eddie watches him go. Already, his vision is fading in and out, as if Richie staying was the only thing keeping him alive. "Love you too, Richie," he gasps with his last breath, and then he can't hold on any longer. Propped uncomfortably against a rock wall, with only Richie's leather jacket to hold for comfort, Eddie slips away.


End file.
